Technical Field
This invention relates generally to information displays, and more particularly to rear projection information displays. Even more particularly, this invention relates to rear projection displays for use in retail marketing.
Background
Retailers require a means of communicating the prices of items for sale to their customers. Currently, some retailers use paper price tagging, which involves “tagging” each item with a hang-tag, sticker, etc. with the price. This method is expensive, because it requires workers, who must be paid, to place/replace the tags. It also requires special equipment (e.g., labeling guns, etc.). This method is also error-prone, because workers might inadvertently place the wrong price on items. In addition, applying price tags increases the time required to stock shelves of the store.
The use of universal price codes (UPCs), which are usually present on the manufacture's label, can be scanned by a cashier to input correct pricing into a register. However, the UPCs don't provide pricing information to the purchaser and so are typically used in conjunction with price labels mounted on a shelf upon which the items are displayed. The use of shelf tags can be problematic, because items might be placed on the wrong shelf with a shelf tag corresponding to a different product, different size, etc. Confusion over the price can lead to customers unwittingly paying more for the product than they intended. Even if the discrepancy is recognized at the register, the confusion can lead to bad will with the customer and even allegations of willful misplacement of products and/or shelf labels.
What is needed, therefore, is a method for displaying price information that is not error-prone, expensive, and/or slow. What is also needed is a system for changing pricing information that requires fewer workers and is rapidly adjustable.